Grave Matters
by CSI Big-Lil Sis Love
Summary: AU Ending to season 5 if Sara was buried alive instead of a Nick. Unlike being a random act with Nick. These people have a personal vendetta against Sara...how will the team save her? Some GSR, Team Friendship, Cath/Sara friendship, Greg/Sara Friendship
1. Chapter 1

We don't own CSI, but girls can dream, can't we? If we had our way, no one would be leaving...or would have left.

This is AU ending to Season 5 and Grave Danger. Music throughout the story will be the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, and then Outside Chance by the Turtles.

Sara Sidle drove to her crime scene in the department issued Denali, listening to her favorite musical of all time. "Next Day far from home the brothers planned their repulsive crime. Let us grab him now do him in while we have the time." Sara drove singing to Poor, Poor Joseph of _Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat_. "This they did and made most of it, tore his coat and flung him in a pit. Let us leave him here all alone and his bound to die. When some Ishmaelites a hairy crew came riding by." Sara sang, getting into the music as she pulled up to her crime scene. Sighing and turning off the Denali, she grabbed her kit and camera and got out of the Denali.

Sara walked up to the crime scene and greeted the officer on the scene. "Hello, so what's going on?" She asked the officer.

"Well, got a call from dispatch saying an anonymous caller reported body parts here. I rolled in and found this." He said shining his flashlight on the image of intestines.

Sara sat down her kit and took a few photos of the intestines, and then bent down, pulled out a marker and took a few more shots.

"So do you know how long this will take?" The officer asked looking green.

"Well, I can't leave or move the body until the coroner releases the scene. There's a big case going on, so it will take awhile." Sara said taking a few more shots.

"Um, do you mind if I stepped back at bit?" The officer asked.

"Huh?" Sara asked looking at him.

"I need to get some fresher air," He explained sheepishly.

Sara smiled, "No problem. I understand." He smiled gratefully and ran away as he began to get sick by his car. Sara just grinned and started humming the rest of the song she was singing. She picked up more of the markers and stood up to take a look around. "In a flash the brothers changed their plans. We need cash let's sell him if we can." Sara sang walking forward spotting some cigarette buds on the ground, marking it and then taking some more shots. She looked behind her as the officer was sick again. _Poor kid must be first trash run._ Sara thought, then spotted something on the ground…setting her camera down she began to walk over to the object. Kneeling down and looking over her shoulder at now the far away cop and his car, she picked up a butcher knife that was already in a bag. "Oookay this is awkward." She said looking at the bagged butcher knife.

When a figured appeared behind her.

Meanwhile…

Catherine and Gil were talking about their case when they heard that a CSI had gone missing. Their first thoughts were of Sara.

When they pulled up to the scene, Brass was grilling the officer who had supposed to be watching Sara.

"Think. Did you see anybody else in the area?"

"I didn't see anybody. I only took my eyes off of her for a second."

"Well, you're not supposed to take your eyes off even for a second." Brass said as he walked off, disgusted.

"She's been gone maybe about 30 minutes." He said as he approached Gil and Catherine.

They walked up and started following her markers. They came to her vest, folded and laid on the ground. Catherine put on gloves as Gil walked off to continue looking for evidence. Catherine thought to herself, "_Sara, what happened, honey_?"

"I found some white fibers on her vest that smell like alcohol." She continued to examine the vest. She walked over to Gil who had picked up the bag containing the butcher knife. "Who bagged that?"

"I didn't. That is our evidence tape, but Sara hasn't initialed it. So, I am not sure if she got interrupted or what…"

"I don't think it's Sara's evidence. I just have a funny feeling about this, Gil. Something is not right."

"You're right. It's not. I think it's a message aimed directly at Sara."

CREDITS BEGIN TO ROLL


	2. A Disappearing Return?

We don't own CSI, but girls can dream, can't we? If we had our way, no one would be leaving...or would have left.

This is AU ending to Season 5 and Grave Danger. Music throughout the story will be the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, and then Outside Chance by the Turtles.

(Earlier that Night)

Sara Sidle walked down the CSI Lab Headquarters to her Supervisor, Gil Grissom's office. Sara knocked on the door as she entered. "Hey Griss."

Grissom looked up, "Hey Sara welcome back." Grissom said with a smile, "You feeling better?" He asked.

Sara nodded. "Yep much better, colds suck." Sara said with a smile. To which Grissom nodded.

"Yes you seemed really out of it, I'm sorry I had to send you home." Grissom apologized knowing how much Sara liked to work.

"Nah it's ok Griss," Sara said shrugging of when something caught her eye. "What's this?" She asked.

"Oh I just got it! It's a certificate of honorary ownership of Trigger, "The smartest horse in the movies," issued by Roy Rogers to the children of America. Roy felt that children of America were the true owners of Trigger, so any kid who would write him he would send them one." Grissom explained.

"And where did you get it?" Sara asked with a smirk.

"From the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum, which used to be in Victorville, California and, is now in Branson, Missouri." Grissom said with his oh knowledgeable voice.

Sara looked shocked for a moment and then asked, "Roy Rogers the cowboy?"

"King! Of the Cowboys. I wrote him when I was four and he sent me one of those. I lost it so I thought I would frame it." Grissom explained to her as if it was the most natural thing to do.

"And um then you thought you would frame it." Sara said trying to hide her smirk.

"Yeah!" Grissom exclaimed like it was the sanest thing to do and held his hand out to her. Sara gave it back to him. Grissom held his treasure in his hands and just smiled.

(In the hallway…)

"Aw, come on, you can't unfund me now. I ... I'm committed to presenting the paper at SWAFS next month." Archie said as he followed Ecklie down the hall.

Ecklie response didn't really surprise Archie when he said, "If it means that much to you, pay your own way. Show a little dedication to your discipline."

_Dedication…huh? For what…I get reprimanded for working over time as it is. _"Oh, yeah. Tragically, my banking account isn't as dedicated as I am. "

"One word: Plastic."

"Wait. How 'bout you kick me a little overtime under the table, huh?"

"Over my dead body. Have you been to Grissom's office? You think the City of Las Vegas pays for his etymology library, his insect collection, and his shrunken head collection? No. Take initiative. People notice."

I thought I was trying to do that with presenting the paper. Some thanks I get. No, not only do I have to miss work without pay, but I have to pay my own way! Sometime this job stinks!

(Meanwhile in the break room)

Sara is sitting on the couch holding an envelope…not sure whether to open it or not. Catherine walks in to find Sara just staring at the envelope.

"Sara, are you okay, honey?"

"Ummm…yeah," Sara responded somewhat distractedly.

Catherine sits down beside her and notices the return address on the envelope. "Sara, is this about your mother?"

"Probably…"

"Want me to open it for you?"

"Okay…" Sara replied still upset over the piece of mail. Catherine took the piece of mail and opened it and then read it to Sara.

_Dear Ms. Sara Sidle,_

_We are pleased to inform you that your mother has met all of her goals and is set to be released on October 4th. She has made wonderful progress and hopes to spend some time getting to know her family and settle back into the regular world. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions._

_Thank you,_

_The Staff at North Lakes Mental Hospital_

"How do you feel about this, Sara?"

"October 4th? Do you realize that was yesterday? I don't want anything to do with her really. As far as I am concerned, she should not be released….ever!" Sara started to cry and Catherine took her in her arms and whispered words of comfort into her ear.

"Sara, you have got all of us to look out for you. You are our Sara. We are not going to let anything hurt you. Everybody adores you." Sara smiled weakly.

When Sara realized that others had walked in, she quickly broke the contact with Catherine and began to wipe the tears out of her eyes.

Gil Grissom entered following Warrick Brown, Nick Stokes, and Greg Saunders. "Alright assignments. Warrick, Nick I need you two to help with our murder in Henderson…things have got a bit higher on the list of what needs to be accomplished. Sara you have a trash run down at Flamingo and Koval." Grissom said handing the slip to Sara.

Sara took it and looked at Grissom. "Griss are you sure? I mean I can help if your case just became high profile." Sara said.

"No Sara even though you are back I felt you should ease your way back." Grissom told Sara.

Sara nodded ok and got up to leave good luck guys and have fun. At least I come back and get to work a solo. Sara thought with a smile.

(Sara)

Sara's body rocked to the moving of a suburban as she was still unconscious. She woke to the realization of her hands tied behind her back. Looking around her surroundings and struggling with her restraints she tried to figure what's going on. This suburban seems familiar. Sara thought. Sara looked around until she found a pin on the floor. Picking it up with her mouth and spitting it behind her near her hands to try to unzip the zip tie around her wrist.

As the car came to stop Sara was able to unzip her bindings. Sara posing to get ready to surprise her attacker failed to notice two hands wearing gloves pull her hair bag and once again places a cloth over her mouth. Sara struggled again but was once again rendered unconscious.


	3. Buried Evidence

(Back to the present)

Catherine stands up from the dumpster she has been searching for evidence. "This dumpster is clean, as far as dumpsters go. No apparent blood or body parts."

"Take a look at this." Gil says to Catherine as he points to a pool of blood that has him intrigued at the moment. "This seems contrived to me. The blood pool is too perfect. There's no splatter. Like somebody placed these entrails."

"A lure. To grab Sara." _Our precious Sara who I promised to keep safe not more than an hour or two ago._ "David, get this stuff to the doc."

David shifted from foot to foot. "Look, I'm ... I'm really sorry I didn't get here sooner. Maybe if I had..."

"We're going to get her back, David."

Ecklie walks up to the group. "Gil, Catherine. I want you to know, as far as I'm concerned, lab's only got one case tonight. Same for the rest of the department."

"Thanks, Conrad."

Warrick pulls up and gets out of his car. "Hey. What do you need me to do?"

"Go with the scent dog and see what you can find." Warrick follows the dogs until they lose the scent. He then notices the patch of dry concrete.

"Yeah, there was some sort of large vehicle here." Warrick starts measuring it and taking notes.

(Back at the lab)

Doc Robbins had let Catherine and Gil know the remains weren't human. When Catherine and Gil heard that, they started to leave.

"I'm sorry. Catherine, Gil ... has Sara's family been informed?

Catherine and Gil look at each other. "Doc, under the circumstances, I think you should know that we are all the family Sara has really."

Nick is going over the findings of the butcher knife and evidence bag with Grissom.

"I swabbed the seal for epithelials, but there were no prints on the outside of the bag."

"What about Sara's camera?"

"No fingerprints. There were some photographs, mostly generals. There  
were a few detail shots of entrails and trash. But no lucky grabs of anybody  
else at the scene."

Greg and Gil almost run into each other as they walk down the halls both involved in what they are doing.

"Grissom, I pulled all of Sara's active and recent cases."

"I want to know anyone who had a grudge against her. Civilian complaints, death threats ...even people in the lab.

"People in the lab, sir?"

"Yeah, the tape on the evidence bag was ours, but wasn't initialed by Sara."

"Got it."

--

Warrick and Hodges are running through the database to try and determine what kind of vehicle might have taken Sara. "It's a short list, my friend. "

"All right, print it out." He then heads over to the police department to search through traffic camera footage.

"I need you to bring up the traffic cameras in a three-block radius between Flamingo and Koval in the last 24 hours."

"We only buffer the video for the past few hours. I can take you back as far as 10:37 P.M."

Warrick sits down and lets out a sigh, worried about Sara. "That's good enough. Sara was taken around 11:00. Keep going. We're looking for a big truck."

"How about that one? Looks like a Suburban."

"It's on the list. Whoa, he's really moving."

As he continues watching, something else catches his eye." Wait a minute. That one, the big Ford. Follow it."

(Sara)

Sara lay unconscious in a dark area. She was lying in a Plexiglas shape, a coffin. At her feet and her face were two vents. Placing on her right side her abductor place her fully loaded gun, then on her left they place a cassette tape recorder. The abductor then cracked a green glow stick turning it and laying it on top of Sara. Then placing about ten more glow sticks in with her. The last thing was a small ragged looking doll. Then the lid closed shut and locked as the abductor began cover the coffin with dirt.


	4. Team Reactions

The group is now sitting around a table in the break room discussing their findings about the case.

Warrick started. "The Expedition truck left the area around 11:15. Definitely in a hurry. Took a right off Koval onto Tropicana, crossed Las Vegas Boulevard onto 215 east. And then it drove off the grid.

"At least we have a general direction." Grissom responded.

Nick came back with a response that showed his fear for Sara. "Great, so Sara could be anywhere from Green Valley to Seven Hills to Arizona."

"Assuming she was in that truck." Greg replied, tears starting to form.

Catherine decided to continue with the evidence. Time was of the essence when it came to finding missing persons. "Well, according to Hodges, the white fibers on Sara's vest were cotton with traces of ether..."

"Ether? Wow! That is old school."

Warrick responded to Nick. "Yeah, stuff is volatile. Flammable. Outside of meth cooks, no one uses it anymore."

"People use what they know." Grissom replied in his dry way.

Catherine took a deep breath and sighed. "All right, so, where are we on possible suspects?"

Greg pulled up the pieces of paper where he had taken notes about the possible suspects. "So far, none of Sara's active or recent cases stands out."

Nick stated "Maybe it's a random act."

Catherine, looked at Gil, before continuing. "Or maybe it's not. The evidence tape was ours so either Sara was interrupted or the scene was staged."

"How could anybody know Sara was going to be the one to respond?"

"We don't know that yet. But…" Catherine stopped and looked to Gil one more time.

"Sara is a very private person so whatever is about to be said, stays right here."

They all nodded their head in agreement.

"Sara's mother was just released from a mental hospital. Her mother has been there for the past 25 years. She killed Sara's father with a butcher knife. Sara's mother might be involved in this somehow…"

Rising voices capture their attention and they all get up and go to the hallway. What they see is Hodges and another man yelling in the hallway.

"Don't touch the edge of it!"

"You got to sign..."

"Security! Security!"

"Get your freakin' hands off me, man!"

Hodges gets a hold of the package. Grissom can't believe how Hodges is behaving.

"What are you doing, Hodges?"

"Guy comes in here with a package with no return address. Way the guy was pawing that envelope, I figure I better get it away from him before he wipes off all the trace."

"What are you talking about? Trace? What trace?"

Hodges, somewhat out of breath and with a lot of exasperation in his voice, "It's about Sara." He steps back and the envelope can be seen. It is addressed to the Crime Lab.

It read:

CRIME LAB  
3657 WESTFALL AVE  
LAS VEGAS, NV 89109

RE: SIDLE

Grissom goes to pick it up and says to the group. "Let me do this." Grissom said as he walked into a lab. Grissom sets the package down on the table and flattens out the package. Then picking up a scalpel he sliced open the edge. Setting the scalpel down and picking up a flashlight Grissom peered into the package. Seeing nothing but a photo, a tape, and a USB Drive Grissom dumped them on the table. Turning off the light and putting on the ALS goggles and light Grissom one by one checked over the items. Finding no prints Grissom turned off the light, turned on the regular light and removed his goggles.

(Sara)

Sara awoke with a start and instinctive sat up and head her head on something. "Ow." Sara said as she grimaced and lay back down. Opening her eyes she realized she couldn't sit up. Grabbing the glow stick at her side she began inspecting her surroundings. Feeling around she felt her gun on her side. She opened it and checked it. _Loaded. _Sara thought with a sigh. Sara began knocking on the glass around her, then she noticed a light bulb at her feet and the vents that were blowing air at her. Feeling around on her left side she felt the tape recorder. Picking it up she pressed "play."

"_HI SARA!" _A man's voice taunted a man's voice Sara recognized instantly. "_YOU ARE WONDERING WHY YOU'RE HERE? BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO END UP JUST LIKE YOUR MOTHER. CONFINED IN A BOX SHE COULDN'T GET OUT FOR A LONG TIME. AND YOU? YOU ARE NOT GETTING OUT OF HERE EVER! YOUR MOM WANTS TO BURY HER PAST SO THIS MEANS YOU. ONCE YOU'RE GONE, SHE IS FREE! SHE NEVER WANTED YOU, A PATHETIC CHILD, AN UGLY CHILD, IN THE FIRST PLACE. I'M SURE YOU NOTICED YOUR GUN. SO, DO IT NOW! OR LATER. BUT YOU ARE GOING TO DIE HERE. NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOU NO ONE EVER HAS. SO, PULL THE TRIGGER. AND DIE!"_

Sara looked at the recorder in shock. Suddenly she was a little girl again. Her mother has just locked her in her closet. Because she was being an ugly, pathetic child. _No!_ Sara thought as she began to scream. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Mommy let me out please. Uncle Larry Please! I'll be a good girl!" Sara cried then began to pound on the coffin lid.

(Back at the Lab)

Grissom, Catherine, Nick, Warrick, and Greg sat around a table in the AV Lab. Grissom put the tape in the tape recorder and pushed "play." Instantly music began to play:

_You can try to please me_

_But it won't be easy_

_Stone walls surround me_

_I'm surprised you even found me_

_And you don't stand an outside chance_

_Don't stand an outside chance_

_You don't stand an outside chance._

Catherine sat and shakes her head, "Those sons of a bitch. They're screwing with us." Catherine said as Nick and Warrick nodded.

_What ever you do Girl_

_You know you can't get through girl_

_Can't bring me down_

_Hang me up or even hang around_

Grissom held up the drive and motioned the others to following him to the computer. Plugging it in, they noticed the link load and then a message appeared on screen. "_ONE MILLION DOLLARS! IN 12 HOURS OR LITTLE SARA DIES! NOW FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE. YOU CAN ONLY 'WATCH'."_

_And you don't stand an outside chance_

_Don't stand an outside chance_

_You don't stand an outside chance_

_You don't stand an outside chance_

_But you can try_

…_try_

The message read as the music continued in the background. Grissom clicked on the word "watch."

(Sara)

Sara grimaced as the light at her feet came on suddenly.

(Crime Lab-AV Lab)

Onscreen Grissom reacts to seeing Sara Sidle lying in a box underground. He as well as everyone else noticed the timer ticking down from 12 hours. Catherine looks up at Sara in shock then turns to look at Grissom and then back at the monitor.

_I know you think you get me_

_I'm only flesh and bone_

_But you may as well forget me_

Nick, Warrick, and Greg all sat watching in awe at Sara, their Sara trapped in a box. Nick had tears forming in his eyes while Greg couldn't bare to watch as he turned his head away.

_Cause my heart is stone_

_You better leave me alone_

_Yeah!_

_You can try to please me_

_But it won't be easy_

Warrick sat glaring at the screen ready to tear apart whoever did this to Sara.

(Sara)

Sara began to scream, "AHHHHHHHHHHHH! MOMMY please!" Sara screamed as she began to squirm and pound more on the coffin. "I'll be good! I'll be good I promise!" Sara screamed until the screams dissolved into tears.

_Stone walls surround me_

_I'm surprised you even found me_

_And you don't stand an outside chance_

_You don't stand an outside Chance_

Finally Sara gasped and punched the top of the coffin so hard she shattered her knuckles and cut through the skin, resulting in her fist bleeding.

(Crime Lab-AV Lab)

_But you can try_

_Yeah, keep on trying_

Catherine just sat staring at the screen. _Oh Sara. _Catherine thought wriggling her fingers as she watched Sara scream and keep punching the top of the coffin as the noticed small smears of blood on the class.

_Stand an outside chance_

_Come on and show me you love me, baby._

Grissom just watched his Sara, the woman he loves, screaming and pounding. He sighs and looks down then looks back up, with the look of determination to find her, save her, and tell her how much he loves her.


	5. You can Only Watch

(Sara)

Sara sighed as she came out of her haze as she tried to get as calm as she could be in this type of situation. "Ok, ok Sara, Come on." She said to her self taking deep breathes. "Grissom and the others will find me…they will find me. So I need to stay calm and relax, so what can I do to stay calm?" Sara asked herself. Her eyes came to a realization as she first took out the gloves in her pocket and began to wipe at her fists, and then wiped the top where she punched. Not seeing her blood made her relax some. Then she paused all movement as she thought of what to do...

With tears forming Sara begins to sing, "Some folks dream of the wonders they'll do, before their time on the planet is through. Some just don't have anything planned they hide their hopes and their heads in the sand." Sara paused for a breath and a sniffle and wiped her tears as she continued. "Now I don't say whose wrong, who's right. But if by chance you're all here for the night. Then all I need is an hour or two to tell the tale of a dreamer like you. We all dream a lot some are lucky, some are not but if you think it, want it, dream it. Then it's real. You are what you feel. But all that I say can be told another way. In the story of a boy whose dreams came true and he could be you."

(Crime Lab-AV Lab)

Catherine, Warrick, Nick and Greg sat watching Sara through the screen. They watched her start to calm and then she began to talk to herself. Archie is sitting trying to locate the feed. Grissom sat back on the table figuring the configurations of the box.

"Guys I don't think she knows we can see her." Catherine said as she watched Sara.

"Are we sure this is a live feed?" Nick asked turning to Archie.

"We just have to assume it is," Warrick said while Greg was sitting focusing on Sara.

"The space in that box looks like 2x2x6 which would be 24 cubic feet." Grissom said figuring out the math, "That would hold exactly 600 liters of air. So if you figure half a liter per breathe, slow breathing maybe 12 breathes per minute. Panic breathing would be about twice that much. Well if my calculations are correct she has about an hour and a half minutes of air left in that box."

"But if they are keeping her alive for twelve hours she is getting an addition air supply." Catherine said focusing on Sara.

(Sara)

"I closed my eyes, drew back the curtain to see for certain what I thought I knew. Far, far away someone was weeping, but the world was sleeping, any dream will do." Sara sang with tears as she looked at the light and then looked at the vent by her head. "I wore my coat with golden lining bright colors shining. Wonderful and new. And in the east the dawn was breaking." Sara sang as the light shut off.

(Crime Lab-AV Lab)

"We lost the feed." Archie said as Grissom jumped up and walks towards the monitor. And went back to the screen "_YOU CAN ONLY 'WATCH'_._"_ Warrick step forward and hit the word "watch."

(Sara)

Sara grimaced once again as the light turned back on, she sighed as she continued, "And the world was waking. Any dream will do…"

(Crime Lab-AV Lab)

"Look likes a live feed to me," Warrick said.

"Let's keep the light on for her." Greg said.

(At the police department)

That night Brass walks into the interview room. Sitting there is the delivery boy and someone Brass guesses is his attorney.

"I'm gonna get right to it, because time is of the essence here. Where'd you get that package, bud?"

In a Texas drawl, the other man speaks up. "I'd like to advise my client. Careful how you answer that, son. This man here's slicker than a snake in the curly green grass."

The delivery boy rolled his eyes. "I got called out to a pickup on Viking Circle. W-when I got there; I didn't talk to an actual person. I just found an abandoned package with some cash taped to it."

"How much cash?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. That's confidential business 'tween me and this here buckaroo."

"Easy, boots. I'm gonna need those bills."

"It was a hundred bucks. If you want it back, you're gonna have to ask Steve Wynn."

"What's the address?"

--

(Crummy Neighborhood)

The police cars pull up to a rundown house. The SWAT team smashes open the door and rushes inside to find a fat drunk who is asleep and snoring.

"Code four. Code four."

The drunk continues to sleep away as Brass picks up the phone and dials Grissom. "Yeah, the address was a waste of time. Nothing here but a fat drunk and a bad smell."

"The guy probably picked the house at random, 'cause he knew we'd chase it." Grissom replied back.

"Any news on the web cam location?"

"Archie's trying to narrow it down. The feed stays active for two minutes every time you press the "WATCH" button. But I got to go. I got people to see." Grissom said as he hung up the phone.

"Okay." Brass replied and got in is car.

--

(Crime Lab)

Ecklie is talking to the staff…

"Everybody, I have some bad news. Uh, a little while ago, I spoke with the mayor directly. The City of Las Vegas is not going to finance a ransom. It's-it's against department policy to negotiate with terrorists. No exceptions."

Grissom walked up and met with Catherine. "Any news?" Grissom asked her as they walked towards the AV Lab.

"Well I talked to the Foster systems trying to get any information of Sara's past but Sara has completely made sure no one has any access to it, especially sense she is in law enforcement." Catherine explained to Grissom. They both turned to Greg and Archie who was trying to locate Sara's location and Greg who is just sitting watching her. "How is she doing Greg?" Catherine asked putting her hand on Greg's shoulder.

"About ok as can be, her mouth is moving in a rhythm. Griss maybe you can see what's she saying?" Greg asked so Grissom can sit in the sit.

Grissom sat down with a piece of paper and a pen as he focused on Sara's movements.

(Sara)

Sara sat with her arm over her eyes but still singing, "Way, way back many centuries ago. Not long after the bible began Jacob lived in a land of Canaan. A fine example of a family man. Jacob, Jacob and Sons depending on farming to earn their keep. Jacob, Jacob and Sons. Spend all of their days with the fields and sheep." Sara sang trying to put her soul in the music.

(Crime Lab-AV Lab)

Grissom sat writing getting a few words: Jacob, founder, nation, number, children, had. Grissom stopped and showed it to Catherine and Greg. "It doesn't make sense, what's she saying?" Grissom said.

Catherine just shook her head in confusion, while Greg listened and then smiled, "Be right back." Greg said running out, while Catherine and Grissom just stared at each other. Two minutes later Greg returned with a CD in hand. "She's singing." He said showing them the Soundtrack of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. "Sara told me in college she performed in musicals and this was her favorite one, she loves this musical." Greg said.

Grissom turned to Catherine, "I didn't know that about her."

Catherine nodded too, "Me either." Catherine said as she stared at Sara, her friend, her "little sister", her "daughter," in such peril.

When Catherine found out that the ransom wasn't going to be paid, she was angered. Who did they think is going to? Sara has nobody outside of the lab really. She has to have somebody take up for her. I don't want to do what I am about to. But, we have to save our Sara. She has to know that we love her.

Catherine strolls into a private room in one of Sam's casinos to find Sam Braun sitting at the table with Tony Curtis, Frank Gorshin and a blonde-haired woman. She walks up to the table. "Sam? Sam, I need to talk to you."

The blonde haired woman spoke up. "He's already got someone to talk to, ma'am."

"Zip it, sweetheart. Sam ..."

"Everyone, I'd like for you to meet my daughter, Catherine." Sam said somewhat proudly. "Excuse us for a minute, all right?"

In the bar of the casino,

"One of my team is in trouble. She's been kidnapped. I need a million dollars in cash. Large bills. And I need it now."

"Let me guess, Mugs. The department won't pay the ransom."

"No."

"Why should I?"

"Considering the problems that you've had with the law, you could use some good publicity."

"Do I look like a man that needs publicity? If you're coming to me like a cop with a tin cup in your hand, the answer is no."

"I'm not here as a cop."

"Then ask me like you were my daughter."

(Crime Lab-2 hours left-Grissom's Office)

Catherine returns to Grissom's office with a large leather bag and sets it on the desk.

"I got the money."

"From where?"

"Where do you think?" Catherine asked as Grissom opened the leather bag and looked at the dollars in the bag.

"Catherine, if the press finds out about this, it'll look like Sam Braun bribed the lab."

"He's a casino owner. A leader of industry. Never convicted of any crime." Catherine paused as tears formed. "And right now, I don't care about the integrity of the lab at the moment. I care about Sara!" She said angrily. "Sara has no one to help her, but us. We have to show her that she is important to us."

"Yeah, well, so do I, but nonetheless..."

"Well, you're sitting here like Jack Handy with your deep thoughts, staring at a coffee cup. You got a better plan, I'm all ears." Catherine interrupted to say, exasperated at Gil's calm demeanor.

"All right. But I want Warrick to make the drop. You're hands off."

"That's my money."

"You can't be seen anywhere near this money. It was given to the lab anonymously. Agreed?"

Catherine's only response was a nod of the head.


	6. A Blown Chance

(Sara)

"Close every door to me, hide all the world from me. Bar all the windows and shut out the light." Sara sang as she lay in the coffin, shielding her eyes from the light constantly turning on. "Do what you want with me, hate me and laugh at me, darken my day time and torture my night. If my life were important I would ask if I live or die, but I know the answers lie far from this world." Sara sang with tears in her eyes.

(CSI Crime Lab-Monitor Room)

Archie sat trying to get a pattern and the location of the cam transmitter. When suddenly Sara's image disappeared and a message appeared. "Grissom!" Archie yelled.

Grissom came running in, with Catherine, Warrick, Nick, and Greg. On the screen was the address for the money drop of: "4672 Carney Lane-Boulder Hwy. Be there in 20 minutes or don't bother coming"

(20 Minutes Later)

Warrick stands in front of a dilapidated building, a tight grip on the leather bag. He looks around before heading toward the building. He walks up the steps and slides the door open.

As he walks in, he notices the Ford parked inside. Warrick removes his sunglasses and looks around with a flashlight, produced from his pocket. The stench from a dead dog is almost overwhelming. "Las Vegas Crime Lab"

From another room within the building, "Through the door."

Warrick walks through the door, noticing the flies on the dead dog. In the next room, a man sits behind an old wooden desk and watches Sara through the live feed on the computer monitor.

Sara's uncle Larry smiles as he says, "Pretty quiet outside. Almost sounds like you came alone."

Warrick looked at the man; "I've got your money."

The man stood up from behind the desk. "Put it down." Warrick puts the bag down while the man walks around the desk. "Slide it over." Warrick kicks the bag toward the man. The man walks over to the bag and turns on his flashlight.

"You're telling me there's a million dollars in here."

Warrick, trying to remain calm, responded "Yes."

"Where did you get this money? Spend some time in the casinos? Borrow it from a loan shark? I know CSI's don't make much for all the 'hard work' they do. Y'all haven't seen hard work, yet. You think you can buy your precious Sara's safety? Well, you can't. Sara's belongs to me and Laura."

"No, you got it wrong. Sara's ours and we WILL get her back safely."

Uncle Larry bends down and opens the bag and picks up one of the bundles of money. "This looks real."

Warrick smiled, "It is real. Where is Sara?"

Larry tossed the money back into the bag. "You know, I was under the impression it was against departmental policy to negotiate with terrorists."

"Are you a terrorist?"

"Depends. Are you terrified?"

"Look, I really don't want to waste my time talking to you. Where is my Sara?"

"Oh, so ... she is 'your Sara', huh?"

"Yes, she is. She is one of our family. Where is she buried?"

"Are you two close?"

"That's none of your business."

"What does Sara Sidle mean to you? How do you feel when you see her in that coffin? Does your soul die every time you push that button? How do you feel, knowing that there's nothing you can do to get her out of that hell? Helpless ... useless ... impotent? You weren't there to help then and you can't help now"

Warrick was fighting to contain his emotions. _Sara, wherever you are…we are going to find you. Don't give up, sweetheart. Don't give up. We love you and we want you back._

"Good. Welcome to my world." Larry opens his jacket and shows the two red bars of HIGH EXPLOSIVES / SEMTEX hooked up around his waist, his thumb over the detonator.

"Uh, if I were you, I'd back up a little."

Warrick backs up and as he does Larry presses the button and explodes.

In the aftermath of the explosion, smoke and debris are swirling around the room. The walls are now spattered with blood. Warrick takes a couple of breaths and sits up. His face is cut and bleeding. When he realizes what happened, he starts crying. "I'm sorry, Sara. I'm sorry."

Soon after, police cars and other emergency vehicles descend on the building. An EMT tries to examine Warrick. "Pupils are even."

Warrick sits, still stunned by what happened. "He blew himself up and left us with nothing."

"Sir, are you experiencing any ringing in your ears?"

Brass steps out of the building, talking on his phone. "We got the kidnapper's truck. Nevada tags: 374-Robert- Charlie-David. Run the plate."

Inside the building, Greg and Nick are under the Ford's hood. Greg is trying to attach the computer to the black box while Nick is at the laptop.

"That's the wrong box, Greg."

"Well, pick one. There's three."

Nick points and says "That one right there."

"Give me a break. I haven't done this before."

"All right, let's go over it again. The diagnostic unit gets attached to that black box, which gives us the mileage of his last trip. Like an airplane."

Greg smiles and says, "That gives us the radius for the search area."

"Right."

"Got it."

Nick taps some keys on the laptop. "Twenty-three miles. We know he was heading east on the 215."

"I'll get a map." Greg moves away from the Ford to get a map.

Catherine walks across the room. She realizes one of the bills is stuck to the underside of her covered feet. She looks down as she walks and grabs the bill. She holds it up to the officer as she passes by on her way to the inner room. "Somebody bag this money, please? Don't get any funny ideas, either."

She walks into the inner room and sighs. _Sara, honey, we are looking for you. We are not going to let you go without a fight. We are working hard to find you. You are just like a daughter to me. I haven't told Lindsey yet; she would be devastated to lose you too._

As she walks up to David and Gil, she mutters under her breath. "What I had to do to get this money and for what?"

The assistant coroner David Phillips said "There's no ID on him."

Gil stands up and carefully walks around. He looks on the floor and sees something. As he leans down, he says, "I got a thumb."


	7. Intermission

A/V Lab

(A/V Lab)

Catherine walks up to Archie sitting at the computer. "How's my girl doing?" As she sits down, Archie shrugs. "Hard to say. About the same, I guess. I still have the CD Greg handed us, and I think I just heard the most depressing song and Sara is in perfect tune with the CD here." Archie said and then takes one last look at Sara, "I'm gonna get some coffee. Want some?"

"No. You go ahead though." Catherine turns back to the computer before Archie is even out of the room. Almost in a whisper, Catherine starts talking to Sara. "Ssshhh…calm down, baby girl. We are coming for you. You just have to keep holding on."

(Sara)

Sara lay in the coffin, now looking a bit worse for wear as she kept on singing, even though sweat had matted her hair to her face and she was severely hot and looking paler. "Joseph's luck was really out his spirit and his fortune low alone he sat alone he thought of the happy times he used to know. Hey Dreamer don't be so upset. Hey Joseph you're not beaten yet. Go, go, go, go Joseph you know what they say, hey now Joseph you'll make it someday, don't give up Joseph fight till you drop, we read the book and you come out on top." Sara sang as the light turned off, she gave and breathe and turned to the fan as fresh air and cool air blew at her.

(AV Lab)

Catherine took a minute and clicked on the word "watch".

(Sara)

Sara still singing reacted to the light turning on, "Stop with the Fucking Light!" Sara screamed then took a breath and continued to sing. "The prison was for white and black the chains were heavy and weighed and down, the candle was his only light, the hungry rats the only sound." Sara sang holding up the glow stick. "Hey Dreamer don't be so upset, Hey Joseph you're not beaten yet. Go, go, go, go Joseph you know what they say, hey on now Joseph you'll make it someday, don't give up Joseph wait and you'll see, we've been outside and you're on the marquee." Sara sang as she cried. The light went out again as Sara smiled and she continued.

(AV Lab)

Catherine wanted a second or two and clicked the "watch" button again.

(Sara)

Halfway through the song Sara stopped, "NO!" She screamed. Then looked from the vent to the light, "The…the fan is connected to the light." She figured as she kept singing.

(CSI Lab)

Grissom opens the container and takes out the large piece of thumb and partial palm. He looks at it and cleans it off as much as possible. Grissom looks at the thumb and then prints it. He then scans it into the computer so that he can run it through the database. "NO MATCH FOUND".

"Damn it," Grissom growls.

(Sara)

Once again the light came back on Sara sighed as she looked at the vent, "Sad to say your dream is not the kind of dream I'd like to get. Pharaoh has it in for you; your execution date is set." Sara sang as she reached into her pocket and finding a pack of gum. She takes it out and begins to chew as she still sang.

(AV Lab)

Catherine sat and watched Sara chew the gum and sing. _What is she doing? _Catherine thought.

(Sara)

"Now don't rely on all I say I saw, it's just that I have not been wrong before." Sara sang as she took out the gum pulled it apart and put one in each ear. Sara then picked up her gun and unlocked it. "Go, go, Joe! Go, go Joe! Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, Joseph you know what they say he now Joseph you'll make it someday. Sha la la, Joseph you're doing fine, you and your dreamcoat ahead of your time." Sara sang as she laid the gun on her chest pointing up at her own head.

(AV Lab)

Catherine is now standing and leaning over the table. "Sara don't." Catherine said sternly to the monitor.

(Sara)

"Go, go, go, go, go, go, go Joseph you know what they say hang on now Joseph you'll make it some day. Sha la la Joseph you're doing fine you and your dreamcoat ahead of your time." Sara sang still holding her gun trying to make a decision. Sara took a breath. "Ahead of your time, ahead of your time. Ahead of your time, ahead of your time." Sara sang as she cried. She then aimed the gun at the light. "AHEAD OF MY TIME!" Sara sang and shot the gun.

(AV Lab)

Catherine jumped as Sara shot the gun. "Sara, baby, please be okay." Catherine then started crying as she collapsed onto the floor. The tears just kept falling.

(Sara)

Sara started laughing, and she gave a sigh of relief and then grabbed the glow stick, cracking it and turning it on. She turns and welcomes the blowing of fresh cool air. She sat still for a bit resting her voice basking in the air until she feels ready to sing again. But now she has more time to sing. She smiled at the vent; _After all I'm only at intermission_. Sara thought with a smile.

(AV Lab)

Catherine wiped away her tears and sat up again. It was then that she saw Sara moving inside the box. "My baby girl is still alive."

(Catherine's office)

Catherine returned to her office and sat down. She was going to try and work on paperwork to stay busy. But, it wasn't working. She sat there deep in thought, looking at a picture. The picture was of Sara, herself, and Lindsey. They had taken Lindsey to the park to play one afternoon before going to work. Her eyes then drifted to a picture of the team at last year's Christmas party. Sara looked beautiful. She was smiling and seemed to be truly happy.

A/V Lab

Archie is talking to Catherine and Grissom about his findings. "The light and the fan must have been running off the same battery."

"Well, at least Sara's still trying to keep it together. That's good. What about the web cam trace?"

"Signals running through an anonymizer. Different ISP each time we click the button. But, I think I've got a handle on the pattern. I'm getting closer."

Grissom sat staring at the certificate of honorary ownership of Trigger. It all seemed so trivial now. Sara had stood in his office, gently teasing him about it. He would never forget Sara's warm brown eyes and gap-toothed smile.

Mia comes to the door of his office. "Grissom! I've got something off your thumb." Grissom jumps up and follows Mia back to the DNA lab. Mia sits down at her computer to show Grissom what she has found.

"So when you struck out on prints, I ran DNA through CODIS, hoping maybe the guy was in the system off an open case or a prior felony. I got no straight-up match, but ..."

"But you got a moderate stringency match for a Laura Sidle." Grissom replied, grinning.

"Yeah, seven alleles in common, and based on the age, I'd say it was her brother."

"Good work, Mia."


	8. The Apple of their Eyes

Grissom sits looking at a file that he had received about Laura Sidle.

ATTN: --  
DOB/05-07-51 SEX/F RAC/CAUCASIAN  
HGT/ 5' 7" WGT/130 EYE/BRO HAI/ BRO

SIDLE, LAURA CURRENTLY IN NORTH LAKES MENTAL HOSPITAL SERVING 25 YEAR SENTENCE / DUE TO BE RELEASED OCTOBER 4, 2006

Catherine sits across from Grissom going through a different file. "Larry Lester has been working in the crime lab for over a year. Well, he did anyway. He suddenly turned his resignation two weeks ago, effective October 1st."

"His address is listed as 628 Viking Circle. That's across the street from the place where the messenger picked up the package. It wasn't random."

Grissom looks through his file. He finds it:  
EVIDENCE  
ITEM # 23 BUTCHER KNIFE, PROCESS FOR DNA AND PRINTS

--

Flashback

An older man is lying on the floor with obvious stab wounds. The meager furnishings are tossed about the room. A lamp is broken on the floor. Blood is spattered all over the walls. A woman covered in blood stands laughing crazily, clutching a bloody butcher knife. A young Sara stands in shock at the scene.

"The knife wasn't either."

End of flashback

--

628 Viking Circle

A number of police cars pull up to a screeching halt in front of the rundown house. The police knock at the door. Brass says forcefully "LVPD…. Open up!"

Someone who looks eerily like Sara opens the door. "Can I help you, officers?"

"Why don't you start by telling us your name?"

"Laura Lester Sidle."

"What do you know about Larry Lester?" Brass questions.

"I know that he is my brother." Laura responds.

"Well, what about the disappearance of Sara Sidle? She is your daughter, isn't she?"

"Daughter? I guess you could call her that. More of an accident than anything. Always pestering me about something. 'Why this?' or 'What was the reason for such and such?'"

"Well, we are taking you in for questioning in the disappearance of Sara Sidle."

"Whatever…" Laura begins laughing as the police arrest her and put her in the back of the police car.

--

In an interview room at the police department

Brass and Catherine are trying to interview Laura Sidle.

Brass starts with the questioning. "So, when Sara was just about 10 years old, you killed her father…in front of her. You have been diagnosed as schizophrenic with psychotic tendencies.

"Yeah, I killed him. So what? He was a no good drunken bastard. He never treated me right. Why am I here?"

"A bloody knife with was found at the scene where Sara was taken. It was strangely similar to the knife you were found holding when you killed Sara's father." Catherine responds.

"A bloody knife…and you bring me in? Don't you know that I just got out? I'm all better!"

Catherine and Brass look at each other and say nothing.

"You're not reopening my case. What do you want?"

"Your brother took it pretty hard."

Brass took up the questioning. "He was a pyrotechnician. Good with explosives?"

"So, this is about my brother?"

Catherine sighs. "You know, we had your visitor's log. Your brother stopped coming to see you six weeks into your sentence."

"Seeing your big sister…treated like an animal….caged….well, it was all rather emotional."

Catherine continued to question Laura. "Why did he come see you last week? Did you know what he was planning to do?"

"I don't know. What did he do?" Laura said innocently.

"We think he kidnapped Sara. She was a CSI. And a terrific one at that. And when you mess with my CSIs, I take it personally. And then he blew himself up. Tried to take some cops, more of my guys, with him."

"How many did he get?"

"Hey, we're all still here."

Catherine interrupts, "Sara is still missing."

"You know, that's pretty funny -- you guys not being able to find something."

"We'll find her."

"No, why are you even bothering? Sara is nothing. Never was. Never will be. You know the apple never falls far from the tree."

Catherine was unable to contain her emotions anymore. "No, you are wrong! Sara means a great deal to a lot of people around here. Sara is not going to be lost. Sara is like a daughter to me! I know what you did to her and I don't just mean killing her father in front of her. You let your husband abuse her and you did nothing. Nothing! Not only that…you abused her too. What kind of mother would do that?"


	9. Pressure Cracks

(Sara)

Sara lay in the coffin, in complete darkness, "Pharaoh he was a powerful man, with the ancient world in the palm of his hands. To all intent and purposes he was Egypt with a capital E. Whatever he did he was showered with praise if he cracked a joke then you chortled for days." Sara sang quietly.

(Warehouse)

Nick sat in the Ford snapping photo shots of the compartments, Greg was sitting and going through debris seeing what was probative and what wasn't. Warrick was standing trying to draw the sketch of the crime scene. Sighing and looking at his work, Warrick removed the sheet of paper and tried again. Grissom had entered a bit earlier to see how the progress was coming and grabbing evidence that was bagged and taking it out to the Denali.

Greg sat and picked up part of the trigger wire. "Hey, hey I found the trigger wire, maybe when we put together the components we can figure where the bomb came from and then maybe…"

Warrick started nodding his head angrily, "Yeah, yeah, yeah maybe, maybe, you know Greg maybe if we count up all the damn "maybes" then Maybe Sara would be alive!" Warrick exclaimed and kicking a plastic container at Greg spilling liquid all over him and the evidence. "You know what I'm saying?!" Warrick yelled at him as Nick and Grissom turned to face Warrick.

"Dude! Was that even necessary? I mean never mind me or my clothes look at the evidence Warrick." Greg got up and yelled back.

Warrick angrily through down the clip board and walked away. "Damn!" Warrick exclaimed.

Grissom looked over and Nick, "Talk to Greg," He said to Nick and then turning to Greg, "You're doing good Greg, keep it up, I'm sorry about Warrick, I'll go talk to him." Grissom said patting Greg on the back and then following Warrick.

"Warrick!" Grissom called pulling up to him. Warrick turned around obviously angry and about to loose it. "Hey talk to me, Warrick." Grissom said to him.

"I can't hold it together Grissom." Warrick said with sadness. "I had the chance to find out where she was, but instead I let her uncle play with my mind Grissom!" Warrick said.

"Warrick!" Grissom called to him sternly, "Hey would have played with mine, or Nick's or any of ours…that wasn't your fault." Grissom told him.

"But Grissom is that was me…" Warrick said making the image of a gun to his head.

"Warrick Stop!" Grissom said grabbing his hand away from his head, "I know you, you wouldn't have and neither will Sara, but we have to keep it together to find her." Grissom said to him.

"No, no Grissom you're wrong, I wouldn't even had made it this far." Warrick said and then sighed. "Grissom I swear if something happens to Sara and we, we don't save her." Warrick said but he and Grissom both turned towards the door to see Nick and Greg.

"Hey guys, Greg found something," Nick told them.

"Hey guys look at this," Greg said pouring the liquid to notice that it stayed. "There's something underneath here." Greg said looking up.

Nick, Grissom, and Warrick got down beside Greg, "Hey I got an edge here," Warrick said.

"Me too." Nick said.

"Greg go grab some crowbars," Grissom said finding another edge. Greg got up and grabbed four crowbars.

Greg comes back hands each of them a crowbar, "Do you think Sara could be here?" He asked Grissom.

"I don't know this would have to be at least six feet long," Warrick said as he and Nick lifted off the floor tile to reveal the dirt.

"Maybe he buried her length wise, and we don't know if he did…" Grissom told him as Nick got up and grabbed three shovels as he, Warrick, and Greg began to dig and Grissom got up and grabbed the lights to shine on the dirt.

(Sara)

"Down at the other end of the scale Joseph's still doing time in jail, for even though he's in with the guards. A lifetime in prison seems quite on the cards." Sara sang until she heard some cracking sounds. Cracking another glow stick Sara tried to see where the noises were coming from. "Hey!" She called out. "Strange as it seems there's been a run of crazy dreams and a man who can interpret could go far. Could become a star." Sara sang louder.

(The Boys)

Warrick, Nick, and Greg continues to dig with the shovels.

(Sara)

"Strange as it seems there's been a run of crazy dreams and a man who can interpret could go far. Could become a star." Sara sang louder tapping on the top of the coffin. "I'm here!" Sara yelled. "To be famous could be a big success." Sara sang louder

(The Boys)

Warrick stops suddenly, "Grissom I hit something." He said getting down and starting to dig with his hands.

(Sara)

Sara continues to hear a crackling sound… "The air…" Sara says suddenly.

(The Boys)

Grissom has now jumped in with Warrick to help dig out some dirt, "That's Plexiglas." He says getting down. "Sara!" He called to her.

"Sar?" Warrick called as he and Grissom dig.

(Sara)  
"I'm right here!" Sara yells.

(The Boys)

"Sara hold on there hunny," Nick said watching Grissom and Warrick dig.

"Sara!"

"Sara!"

Grissom removed the last of the dirt, and both he and Warrick stood up stun. "It's a dog?" Greg said. Warrick got up and angrily walked away.

(Sara)

Sara stops shouting and looks down at her feet. The bullet hole from the gun shot from when she blew out the light is beginning to crack and the dirt is putting pressure on it. _Shit!_ Sara thought as she watched cracks forming along her on and next to her of the Plexiglas. "Stop, stop, stop, stop." Sara pleaded, "Oh Shit." Sara said hearing the crack continue.


	10. Goodbyes?

CSI - GARAGE

(CSI – GARAGE)

Warrick puts his pen down and picks up the fan unit and looks at it. Next to him is the open Plexiglas coffin. He disconnects the hose off the fan and inspects the unit. Warrick walks around and looks inside the coffin. He peels off the vent piece and looks at it. Warrick decides to look at the battery attached to the side. He finally puts the fan back together and attaches it to the fan. The light inside the coffin goes on and the fan runs.

(Sara)

Sara sat lying in the Plexiglas, as some dirt now covered her feet. The Plexiglas continues to crack around her. Sara has the tape recorder, "Guys in Crime Lab…thanks for making me part of the team, and I know you did what ever you had to try save me," Sara said while her voice cracked. "Warrick I know we started out rough, but you are my big brother and you have always looked out for me, and I'm going to miss you."

(AV Lab)

Catherine, Greg, and Archie sat watching Sara on the screen; Catherine had a closer view of Sara's mouth reading her lips.

(Sara)

"Brass…what can I say; you took the form of a father that my father failed to take, thank you. Nick, Nick you are like my twin, we always worked well together. I know I can count on you for anything. Greg you have improved so much professionally from lab rat to field mouse. You will be a great CSI…just always remember it's about the victim. Oh and by the way your movie _Rocky Horror Picture Show_ is under my bed." Sara said with a sniffle and a laugh.

(AV Lab)

Catherine smiled as she wrote down what Sara was saying about the team.

(Sara)

"Gil I love you, I always have and I always will. I heard what you said to Lurie, and I'm sorry you feel that you couldn't risk it with me, but I would have waited for you forever." Sara said with tears forming.

(AV Lab)  
Catherine paused as she wrote what Sara said, and for a minute became angry with Gil, _How can he be so stupid?_ Catherine thought.

(Sara)

"Catherine," Sara paused and took a deep breath. "One Lindsey will grow up to be a wonderful woman." Sara smiled thinking about Lindsey. "Catherine I'm sorry again about my blow up to you during that Melton's case. But thank you for coming and finding out about it in a more private place." Sara whimpered and sniffled. "You showed me that not all women are evil and mean like my mother, and you um helped me accept that I'm loved and cared for…and taught me I'm worth loving." Sara began to cry. "I really appreciate, love, and respect you, thanks for being a big sister and a mother to me." Sara said.

(AV Lab)

Catherine said, "Umm…Archie, can you keep an eye on her for a few minutes. I need to go for a walk. Greg, can you come with me?"

"Sure thing, boss!"

Greg followed Catherine as they walked into her office. "Close the door." Greg did as he was instructed and then sat down. "As you saw, Sara was recording messages on the tape recorder." Greg nodded. "One of those messages was for you. Here you go." Catherine handed him the paper and he walked out of her office. He was kind of lost without his mentor.

He finally ambled outside and sat in one of the Denali's. He turned on the ignition and put in one of his CDs. He opened the paper and began to read. "Sara, I couldn't have done it without you. You were the one who inspired me to try and be a CSI. And Sara, I won't ever forget you or the fact that it is about the victim."

--

After Greg had left her office, Nick and Warrick came by to discuss their latest findings. She gave them their messages and they walked into the locker room. They sat down and started reading.

--

Warrick was the first to speak, "I loved you like you were my little sister, too."

"What was that?" Nick questioned.

"Sara called me her big brother. Nick, what are we going to do…?" Warrick choked back tears. He couldn't complete his sentence. He couldn't bear to think of what would happen to the team with Sara gone.

"I know, man. She is counting me. She is counting on all of us. We have to keep it together for Sara. We can't fall apart now. If we do, we might lose her."

"You know, I resented her presence when she first arrived, but…but…. Sara has become the glue that has held us together."

"We will get her back, Warrick. Don't give up. We will save our sister. That's what brothers do."

--

Catherine decided she needed coffee after Nick and Warrick left. She got up and walked to the break room, nearly running into Grissom and Brass. "Can we go to your office, Grissom? I have some news."

Catherine, Gil and Brass turned and walked back into his office. "What is it, Catherine?" Brass questioned.

"Well, I was watching Sara and I think she started leaving goodbye messages. We have to find her. We can't lose her."

"Brass, here is what I think she said to you." Brass took the note. Brass sat and thought about his relationship with Sara. _Sara, you are more of a daughter than Ellie ever was. When we get you back, I will show you how much you mean to me. It may not mean much to you, but how about a weekly father-daughter meal? Just the two of us?_

"I'll get back to you if I hear anything." Brass said as he walked out.

--

"Gil, if we get Sara back, when we get Sara back, you have to tell Sara how much you love her. I won't let you hurt her anymore." Grissom nodded solemnly.

Catherine sat there for a moment before speaking. "Gil, I can't stand the thought of losing Sara. It would be like losing Lindsey. Our relationship started off rough because we both can be quite stubborn. But, now…. now, I understand why. What Sara has gone through and to see how strong she is, I am in awe of her. She is an amazing person."

(Sara)

As Sara was saying all these goodbyes she noticed the dirt on her feet was getting heavier, she went to move but couldn't. _What the hell?_ Sara thought she turned on a glow stick and look down…_Mud?_ Sara thought then she saw it. Water was sipping through the cracks… "Oh God, I'm going to drown!"

(AV Lab)

Archie had notice Sara getting increasingly agitated when we saw it. Quickly he paged Catherine and Grissom. Within a minute both were running in the lab. "Catherine, Grissom I noticed this," Archie said pointing at the monitor.

Grissom bent forward and put his glasses on, as Catherine leaned forward as well. "Water." Grissom said.

"My God Gil she could drown." Catherine finished.

(Sara)

Sara sat watching the water come in from the cracks, the dirt on her feet and legs began to turn into mud, and she can't move. The water's coming in and it's cold. Sara begins to shiver…


	11. A Trickle of Hope

(Outside-Sunset)

(Outside-Sunset)

The sun is going down as all around sprinklers were on; one was following through a path in the ground through the bullet hole into a Plexiglas box.

(Sara)

Sara lay panicked as the water is beginning to reach her ears. Ripping off a piece of her shirt and lifting her head as she was shivering, Sara took the two ripped cloths and plugged her ears to at least keep the water out.

(AV Lab)

Grissom grabbed his phone, "Brass call the City of Vegas and asks at about the past ten minutes who was running water." Grissom said into his phone as he headed towards the break room where the team was gathered.

(The CSI Garage)

Greg lied underneath the Plexiglas coffin that held the dog, Nick was looking through it with a flash light and Warrick was looking over his notes over the battery.

"This must be a prototype to see how someone could stay alive inside." Nick said peering inside.

Hodges approached and looked at the circles that Greg was swabbing. "Uh, what are those?" Hodges asked pointing.

"I don't know," Greg said finishing the swabbing.

"Ok after running the tests on this battery, and what's supply energy too, and the fact with left the damn light on. I'd say Sara's got another Ninety minutes left." Warrick said as he, Nick, and Greg all shared a look. Warrick then set his watch to ninety minutes. At that moment they got paged to the break room.

(CSI Break Room)

"Ok Brass is on the phone with the city, Sara's body up to her ears is in water and the water has stopped coming in, the only thing that would make since is a sprinkler system." Grissom told the others as they were seated in the break room going over the briefing.

A map is lying on the table; Archie stepped forward with a black marker, "Ok everyone I got the web cam trace down to here." Archie said drawing a circle of the trace.

Then Greg stepped forth, "And the radius from Larry Lester's truck gave us a twenty-three mile radius." Greg said drawing another circle that overlaps with Archie. At this time Grissom's cell rings.

"Hello?" Grissom answered. "Ok thanks Brass." Grissom said hanging up the phone. "Ok during that time the only sprinkler systems were on were plant and tree nurseries." Grissom said as Nick went to the computer.

"Ok got them up." Nick said as Warrick came up behind him to look.

"Ok I got two nurseries in the overlapping areas," Warrick said grabbing his marker. "Here and here." He said placing two X's on the map.

Catherine sat quiet for a moment.

(Flashback)

_Laura Sidle, "You know an apple never falls far from the tree."_

(End Flashback)

"Wait, wait a second, Laura said something about apples, hang on!" Catherine said running off to her office. Walking over to her desk and picking up the file of Laura Sidle. Opening it up and looking she found what she was looking for and took off back towards the break room.

"You Guys, Laura just got a job at an apple orchard, so Sara is here!" Catherine said pointing to one of the X's.

(At the orchard)

Grissom and Catherine get out from the Denali and walks up to the owner. "You said that Laura Sidle worked in a specific area of the orchard. Where is it?"

The owner points to the general area. "All right, look. Fan out. Look for loose soil. Anything that might've been dug up recently and that is close to the irrigation system.

"That's the whole place." Brass said, worried about his "daughter".

The officers jog down the road, looking for anything recently dug. Catherine walks slowly down the side of the road. At her hip, she has an electronic emitter. She points the wand end down on the ground as she walks by. The unit gives of an electronic hum and a very slow, steady beep. Catherine thinks to herself. _"Hold on just a little bit longer, Sara. We are almost there."_  
More officers disburse through the trees as Catherine continues walking down the main road. The unit starts to beep more rapidly as she walks along. "Hey! I'm picking up the web cam transmitter."

Nick, Warrick and other officers turn and rush toward Catherine as she continues down the road. She nearly trips on a pipe after she turns the corner. Catherine stops to look at it and points the wand down the pipe, causing it to beep a little faster. She then notices a second pipe and walks to it. Catherine puts her things down and starts digging near the vent pipe, pushing the dirt away with her bare hands. In the dirt, she finds a plastic bag with the small video transmitter unit inside.

"This is it! I found it! It's here." Catherine leans close to the pipe and shouts Sara, "Sara! We're here. Hang on!"

(Sara)

Sara hears Catherine, or what she thinks is Catherine. "My Service to Pharaoh has begun; tell me your problems mighty one!" Sara sang before she slipped into unconsciousness.


	12. Into the Arms of Safety

(Sara)

(Sara)

Sara awoke, but she was still in the Plexiglas box, however there was no water or dirt and she was standing up. Looking around she saw a head of a Sphinx. _Where am I_? She thought. Then she saw Greg standing up on the stage dressed in an Egyptian Pharaoh outfit. "Greg?" Sara asked.

Greg did a dramatic turn and exclaimed, "Pharaoh is in the building!" He said into a microphone and began to sing. "Well I was wandering along by the banks of the river when seven fat cows came up out of the Nile, uh-huh. And right behind these fine healthy animals came several other cows, skinny and vile, uh-huh. Well the thin cows ate the fat cows which I thought would do them good, uh-huh. But it didn't make them fatter like such a monster supper should." Greg sang thrusting like Elvis while Sara watched from the box in shock she also noticed that the lab rats were dressed as Egyptian servants.

"Well the thin cows were as thin as they had ever, ever, ever been. Well this dream has got me baffled hey, "Sara"; won't you tell me what it means? Well you know that kings ain't stupid but I don't have a clue so don't be cruel "Sara" help me I beg of you." Greg sang motioning to Sara in her box. "Well I was standing doing nothing in a field out of town when I saw seven beautiful ears of corn, uh-huh. They were ripe, they were golden and you've guessed it, right behind them came seven other ears tattered and torn, uh-huh." Greg continued while the other lab rats plus Doc, David, and the other CSI's dance too.

_It's official, I've lost my mind._ Sara thought as she watched Greg sing from inside the box.

"Well the bad corn ate the good corn they came up from behind yes they did. Now "Sara" here's the punch line it's really gonna blow your mind, flip your lid." Greg sang coming up to Sara. "Well the bad corn was as bad as it had ever, ever, ever been. Well this dream has got me all shook up treat me nice and tell me what it means." Greg sang to Sara. "Hey, hey, hey "Sara" won't you tell poor old Pharaoh. What does this crazy dream mean? Oh yeah" Greg lifted his arms dramatically and stopped.

Then Mandy came running out and clinging onto Greg, "Wow, Mr. Greg, I mean Pharaoh will you sing that one more time?" She asked like a crazy groupie.

Greg turned and did an Elvis smirk, "Hey, hey, hey "Sara" won't you tell poor old Pharaoh. What does this crazy, crazy, crazy dream mean? Oh yeah!!" Greg finished and bowed dramatically.

(Sara)

Sara awakes suddenly and begins to cry. Feeling around on her left Sara found the gun and picked it up holding the gun up to her neck ready to fire the gun.

(The Nursery)

Nick, Greg, and Warrick along with other officers were digging frantically while Brass, Grissom and Catherine stood and watched. Then a beeping sound startled them all Warrick stopped and looked at his watch then back at Grissom and Catherine. His watch read "00" Time's up!"

(Sara)

_No! No, no! _Sara thought, _I won't let her win! Not this time!_ Sara than moved the gun from her throat and unlocked it, taking out the barrels in the gun and dumping them. "Seven years of bumper crops are on their way years of plenty, endless wheat and toms of hay. Your farms will boom, there won't be room to store the surplus food you grow." Sara sang with tears in her eyes. "After that, the future doesn't look so bright Egypt's luck will change completely overnight. And famine's hand will stalk the land with food an all-time low. Noble king, there is no doubt what your dreams are all about. All these things you saw in your pajamas. Are a long-range forecast for your farmers and I'm sure it's crossed your mind what it is you have to find."

(The Nursery)

Warrick moved to dig more with the shovel when he heard a noise as he brought the shovel down. "I hit something!" Warrick told the others.

"We got you Sara!" Catherine yelled out to her as Warrick and Greg both got down on their knees to remove the dirt with their hands.

(Sara)

"Find a man to lead you through the famine with a flair for economic planning. But who this man could be I just don't know? Who this man could be I just don't know? Who this man could be I just don't know?" Sara sang trying to make herself sing herself to death…that way she proved she still wanted to live. Sara began to cry.

(Outside-Nursery)

"Hey, hey, hey, hey," Warrick started to call to Sara as he began to remove the dirt, "We got you girl! Hey Sara!"

"Sara!" Greg called out to her as Nick moved closer up to where Warrick and Greg were removing the dirt.

"Sara open your eyes we got you honey." Nick said.

(Sara)

Sara has opened her eyes to see Warrick, Nick, and Greg standing up over her.

(Outside-Nursery)

"Oh my God!" Warrick exclaimed, "Somebody make sure those sprinklers are off there's a lot more water in here then the camera showed." Warrick called to an officer as he took off running to tell the owners. "Hang on Sar, we are going to pry open the lid some to get some air in there why we remove the rest of the dirt. Okay? Just hang on!" Warrick said as he pried open the lid at each corner as Nick and Greg removed the rest of the dirt.

Catherine's phone begins ringing incessantly. She answers it, impatiently. "Willows."

(CSI GARAGE)

Hodges is on the phone as he stands over the prototype Plexiglas coffin in the garage. "Yeah. Hey, boss ..."

(ORCHARD)

Catherine interrupts. "We found her. We're getting Sara out now."

(CSI GARAGE)

"That's great. Wai-wait. Don't-don't hang up. Just-just listen."

(ORCHARD)

"What? What?

(CSI GARAGE)

"Those dimples on the bottom of the prototype. GCMS found traces of semtex on each one.  
(ORCHARD)

"You got to be kidding me." Catherine replies as she shakes her head. "Guys, stop and get out of there. Right now!"

Warrick replied, "What?! No! You can't be serious"

Catherine calmly but firmly said, "That box is ready to explode!"

Brass, standing nearby, "Are you kidding?"

"Get out of there now!" Everyone but Warrick clears the hole. He refuses to move. "I'm not leaving without Sara!"  
"There are charges under the box!" Catherine said to Warrick trying to get him to listen to her.  
Grissom stands out on the side, thinking. Suddenly, he turns and sees the water hoses nearby. We can see him thinking, his mind working out a solution.

Stubbornly, "I'm not leaving here without her." Warrick is the only person remaining in the hole, his hands just under the coffin cover - refusing to move, refusing to abandon Sara.

"I have an idea. Warrick, Catherine's right. Get out of the hole now. I know what we're gonna do. Just trust me." Warrick looks toward Grissom. He slowly releases his hold on the coffin cover. He turns back and looks at Sara.

(Sara)

Sara began to scream and pound on the coffin lid, "No, no, no! Warrick please don't leave me!" Sara began to scream. "Please don't abandon me; I'm sorry I wasn't a good girl, please!" Sara screamed and cried.

Grissom shouts the instructions to the officers. "We need to get water in there to balance out her weight. I need the fire department brought in."

Catherine jumps into the hole. Sara is screaming and hitting the coffin cover. She lands on the cover and brushes the dirt away from the glass. "Sara! Can you hear me?"

(Sara)

Sara now fully panicking and not knowing where she is continued to pound on the coffin lid crying, "Mommy, Uncle Larry Please! Please let me out!" Sara said as she cried.

Catherine starts talking to Sara. "It's gonna take us a minute to get you out of there, okay? Sara!"

Sara's not listening to Catherine. She just wants out. Seeing Sara cry breaks Catherine's heart. But knows they need to wait. Sara's continued pounding of the coffin lid tears at everybody's hearts.  
"Narrator!" Catherine calls to Sara, who starts calming. "Listen to me." Catherine lays her hand on the lid. "Put your hand on my hand."

_How did she know I was the Narrator in the musical _Joseph? Sara thought as she wipes away the tears and puts her hand flat on the lid under Catherine's. "Good, baby girl. Now listen. There may be explosives under the box. They're probably set on pressure switches. We need to equalize your body weight before we can pull you out, okay?" Sara tries to fight back tears. "Narrator, nod your head if you understand me." After a brief moment, Sara slowly nods her head. Catherine looks up to see Grissom talking to the firefighters. "Sara, we are going to spray water on you to equalize your weight. Catherine looks at Warrick. "I need a rope and a caribiner."

"You got it!"

Catherine kneels back on the coffin to talk with Sara. She puts his hand back flat on the glass over Sara's hand. "All right, Narrator, we're gonna open the lid and get you out, but I need you to stay lying down. Okay? Or else you'll blow us all up." Sara nods and mouths, "I understand. I promise."  
Catherine motions Warrick to come over to her, she and Warrick kneels down, "Ok don't move!" Catherine said to Sara as she opened the lid with Warrick.

Sara immediately reached out and cried and grabbed for an arm. Catherine grabbed her hand and then moved to lay her hand on Sara's chest to keep her still. Warrick grabbed Sara's hand. "It's ok Sara, it's ok, we're here. We're here." Warrick told her.

Sara nodded ok, then opened her mouth, "I closed my eyes, drew back the curtain to see for certain what I thought I knew. Far, far away, someone was weeping but the world was sleeping any dream will do." Warrick turned back to Catherine a bit confused.

"That's it Sara, that's it keep singing honey, you're ok, just keep singing. We're here now." Catherine told Sara calmly as Sara continued to sing waiting for the Fire Department to arrive.

Grissom's voice could barely be heard as the fire trucks pulled up. "All right, bring that over."

Catherine turns back to Sara, "Okay Sara, the fire department is here. I am going to latch the hook and rope around your belt buckle. Warrick is right there waiting to catch you. He is standing outside the hole and holding the end of the rope." Catherine attached the hook and rope around Sara's belt buckle. "Okay, Narrator, I want you to close your eyes and hold your breath. Sara nods at Catherine. Catherine leans over and gives Sara a kiss on the forehead, the way a mother might. She quietly whispers to Sara, "It's almost over. You have been so brave. Just a little bit longer. I am going to get out of the way, but I will be right there next to Warrick." Sara nodded as she quietly said, "Thanks Cat."

Catherine moved out of the way and Grissom gave the order, "Now!"

The firefighters start spraying water as Warrick, Nick and Greg tug hard and jerk Sara out from the mud and water of the coffin. Sara comes flying out of the coffin, landing in the Warrick's arms. He immediately scoops her up and holds her close.

A moment later, the coffin explodes shooting water straight up into the air.


	13. Never Alone Again

Warrick carries a wet and shivering Sara and lays her on the gurney

Warrick carries a wet and shivering Sara and lays her on the gurney. Warrick and Catherine stand on either side of her. "We won't let you go again." Catherine said as she rubbed Sara's forehead.

"Excuse me, ma'am. We need to load her into the ambulance." The EMT said who was working on Sara. Warrick and Catherine climbed into the back of the ambulance. Once Sara was in she reached for something to hold onto. Warrick took her hand and Catherine started rubbing her forehead to calm her. "Sara, you are safe now. Your mother can't hurt you anymore." The ambulance drives away as Nick, Brass, Greg stare at it.

Grissom turns to Ecklie and sighs. "I want my team back."

(At the hospital)

Sara, who had drifted back into unconsciousness, awoke again. "Mommy, mommy…" Catherine was at first unsure how to respond. "I'm right here, sweetheart."

Sara's eyes fluttered open. "Cath, where…. where am I?"

"You are in the hospital, Sara. In the emergency room."

"I'm scared, Catherine." Sara began to shiver and shake. "I don't like hospitals."

"I know, sweetheart," Catherine nodded. "But, you will probably have to stay here for a couple of days."

"No! I'll be good. I promise. Don't make me stay here, mommy!" Sara suddenly realized what she said. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I didn't mean to call you mommy."

"It's okay, Sara. You were scared."

"Where's Warrick? I need my big brother here too."

"I'll go get him. He is in the waiting room."

"No! I don't want to be alone again." Sara said as she started crying. Catherine pulled out her cell phone and dialed Warrick's number. "Warrick, can you come back here? Sara needs you."

Warrick hung up the phone and took off running down the hall. He came through the door and Sara tried to sit up and reach for him. He came over and stood next to Sara, giving her a kiss on the forehead, "How's my little sister, doing?"

"Umm…I am scared. I never liked hospitals much." Sara looked at him with her big brown eyes. "Guess you probably know about my past now…"

"Yeah," Warrick replied quietly. "Sara, I'm sorry we couldn't protect you."

"It's okay. I know you tried. It was supposed to be a 'trash run'. Something happened and it went wrong. But you found me, for that I will be forever grateful."

The doctor and nurse walked into the room and Sara immediately tensed. "Excuse us, we need to examine the patient and run some tests."

"Your patient has a name. Her name is Sara. And you are not going to lay a hand on her without us here. She has been through a traumatic ordeal. Sara…. Sara has been through…Sara has been through more than you could possibly imagine. We, my colleague and I, will not leave her here when she is obviously scared to death."

"That's right. Families stick together." Warrick said as he stroked Sara's head.

"You're her family?" the nurse questioned.

"That's right." Catherine spoke up. "She's my daughter and Warrick here is her big brother."

"Fine. You can stay." The nurse said, somewhat exasperated after the doctor said it was all right.

After examining Sara and taking some samples, "Okay, you have broken your hand…you are starting to develop pneumonia and you are dehydrated. We are going to admit you upstairs."

The nurse and doctor walked out without any further comment. "Catherine, Warrick, don't make me stay. I just want to go home. I just want to go home and forget this." Sara started crying.

"Sara, honey, you need to stay." Warrick said gently. "We won't let you be alone. Somebody from the team will be with you all the time."

"You…you… promise?"

Warrick looked at Catherine before speaking, "I promise. We've got you now. We're not going to let you go."

"Yes, that's right baby girl. You won't be alone."

"I'll be safe again?"

"Yes, your mother is locked up again, courtesy of LVPD. You are safe again."

"Okay, I'll stay." Sara said as tried to wipe the tears away.


	14. Worthy?

The next day, true to his word, Warrick (and Catherine) made sure she was not left alone.

That afternoon, Greg was sitting with Sara. Sara started whimpering in her sleep. But, quickly the whimpering turned into screams. "I want out! I want out!" Greg, worried about Sara, called Catherine. She rushed to the hospital. By then, Greg was sitting on the bed with Sara, holding her. When Sara realized Catherine was there, "Cath, I was so scared. I dreamt that I was in the coffin again…I kept telling myself that my friends," Sara teared up as her voice trailed off. "My family, all you guys, would save me. I remember the voice of my uncle telling me I would never be rescued. I kept repeating to myself. 'They will find me. My family will find me.' But you never did! I was left there to die…." Sara dissolved into tears again as Catherine took in her arms and her. She gave Sara a gentle kiss on the top of the head.

"Greg, can you give us a minute?" Greg nodded and walked out of the room.

Catherine reached down and got a Kleenex to wipe Sara's tears away. "Sara, we would always try to find you. You are the heart of our team. Just so you know, all of the team took hard it when we found out you were missing. You came into our lives and now you are a part of our family. You will always, ALWAYS, be a part of us."

"When you disappeared, work on everything else came to a grinding halt. Heck, even Ecklie said that finding you was the only case that was important that night. And the ransom…"

Sara interrupted, "What ransom? The department doesn't do that."

"Sara, when I found out you were missing and there was no way that the department would fund the ransom, I went to my father. Sam Braun. I borrowed the money from him."

"Umm…how much was it?"

"One million dollars."

"Oh, Catherine, I…I am not worth that much…."

"Sara, I got the money. But, I promise you that the rest of the team would have done the same thing. We all love you Sara. You are most definitely worth a million dollars. You are priceless. All the money in the world could not replace you."

Just then, Warrick who had been court, came in. He noticed the tears in Sara's eyes. "What's wrong with my baby sister?" Warrick wiped them away tenderly with his thumbs. She could feel the gentle strength of his hands. That was one of the things she treasured about him. It was so characteristic of his general demeanor. He was so strong, but had all the soft-heartedness you could ever expect out of someone.

"Warrick, you let Catherine pay my ransom?"

Warrick nodded and began to speak, "Of course I did. If Catherine hadn't done it, I would have found some way to do it myself. Hell, any of us would have found some way to do it. We weren't going to let you go without a fight." Warrick leaned over and hugged Sara.

"By the way, I brought you something to eat. A veggie burger especially for you."

"Thank you, Warrick. I am so hungry!" He handed Sara the bag. "You don't mind if I eat, do you? By the way, is Greg still waiting in the hall?"

"No, go ahead…" Just then Greg poked his head in.

"Come on in, Greggo." Sara responded as she sat eating her veggie burger.

The four of them sat there and talked like old times.


	15. A Long Awaited Arrival

Sara sat up in her hospital bed relishing her veggie burger, while she listened to Greg, Warrick and Catherine talk about some random things

Sara sat up in her hospital bed relishing her veggie burger, while she listened to Greg, Warrick and Catherine talk about some random things. "Oh hey Sara I got you a present!" Greg said suddenly reaching onto the floor; he brought the sac in, but completely forgot when trying to comfort Sara over her nightmare. He leaned down and picked up the sac and handed it to Sara.

Excitedly Sara opened up the sac and saw the DVD of _Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat_. "Oh Greg," Sara said with a tears forming as she hugged Greg. _They never will know how many times I sang this musical the past couple of days._ Sara thought as she tenderly stroked the musical that helped keep her sane in her hell. Greg showed a big full blown smile excitedly and looks over and shows a boyish grin at Warrick and Catherine, who both rolled their eyes at him.

"Forget Greg, you still don't have a chance with her," Warrick said with a smirk. Sara giggled as Catherine put on her "mom" look.

"Ok, ok you two now is not the time for Sara to be worrying about a date, she is to focus on healing, right Sara?" Catherine said with a knowing look at Sara, meaning that she will have to follow the doctor's orders and also let the others care for her.

Sara caught Catherine's eyes and just nodded and then pouted. "Aww don't pout Sar, We'll treat you like a queen!" Greg said with a goofy grin, to which Sara began laughing.

Greg then gave a big yawn, "Greg go and catch some sleep you need to rest up, and I'll let you spoil me later," Sara told her friend. Greg nodded and hugged Sara once more and patted Warrick on the back and hugged Catherine.

Warrick looked down and glanced at his watch, "Aw man! I am on shift tonight. I gotta go Sara," Warrick said with a sad smile and hugged Sara and Catherine, "Call me later Cath, be good for Catherine little Sis!" Warrick said with a wink as he left to which Sara stuck out her tongue.

Sara began to talk to Catherine when she suddenly stopped midsentence. Catherine in confusion stared at Sara and then turned around…


	16. Coming Home

So sorry about the lateness of this chapter… We will have this one and then one more chapter, so we can start on other stories. I apologize again, this is Crowned Tiger and I was having extremely bad times and now I'm doing a bit better. College got a bit hectic, also. Thank you for your patience.

* * *

Sara sat in shock. There he stood. Grissom. "Hey Griss," Catherine got up from where she was and turned to stand beside him.

"Hi Catherine," Grissom said as he turned to face Sara. "Um Catherine would you give Sara and I a few minutes?" Grissom said as his eyes never left Sara's.

"Yes of course," Catherine said as she grabbed her purse, "I have to go and get my house ready for her, and also do some grocery shopping, I'll be back later Sara." Catherine said coming to give her a kiss on the head and grabbing Grissom's shoulder squeezing it and give him a look with her eyes then leaving.

Grissom slowly approached Sara. "So what do we need to talk about? A statement for the department and Ecklie?" Sara asked looking at Grissom.

Grissom took Sara's hand in his, "I was thinking about us…I'm sorry that at the time of the Debbie Marlon case I wasn't ready, but after almost losing you…Sara I was hollow before I met you and when I did meet you in San Francesco all those years ago, you gave me a new reason to continue my job. Then, when you finally came to Vegas, my friend and protégé was ecstatic, I had someone who would help make the team, a team. But like you I realized we have more chemistry then anyone I know…Sara, you are…" Grissom was trying to voice and proclaim his love to her, but being as socially awkward as he is, he can't say it.

"Grissom, what are you asking from me?" Sara asked. "I've dropped everything for you on more than one occasion Grissom. I am willing to do that for any of my friends…but for you, you know it's always been deeper than friendship." Sara said squeezing Grissom's hand in hers.

"I want to take you out." Grissom blurted out. "I want to show you, how much you mean to me and I want you to believe that I can be what you want of me…for you." Grissom said staring in Sara's eyes.

As a tear fell he caught it, "Coffee?" Sara asked in barely a whisper.

"Coffee and many more coffees and dates afterwards…I almost lost you, and I want to make up the years I pushed you away and almost destroyed our friendship to the point of no reconcile and I want to prove that I can be more." Grissom said his own voice cracking as well.

"I'd love that," Sara said smiling at him

A few days later…

Sara was busy packing up the cards, teddy bears and few personal belongings that she had asked Catherine to bring from her apartment. Catherine walked in and said, "Sara, you ready to go to my house?"

Sara nodded.

A little while later…

Catherine helps Sara out of the car. Lindsey comes bouncing out of the house as the car pulls in to the driveway. Warrick walks out behind her, smiling to see that Sara is already trying to get out of the car. "Hey, now…take it easy!" he said as he hugged Sara.

"Let me hug her. I want to hug Sara!" Lindsey said as she bounced around.

"Lindsey…be still! Lindsey!" Catherine said, seeing the nervousness on Sara's face.

"It's okay, Catherine." Sara replied somewhat uneasily as she leaned over to hug Lindsey.

The group started toward the house. Catherine and Lindsey were on each side of Sara. Warrick walked behind them.

"Warrick, will you carry that to the spare bedroom? You know where it is. I think Sara maybe would like to sit down and rest. That stop at her apartment tired her out, didn't it?"

"Yeah, it kind of did." Sara said as she sat down on the couch, somewhat slowly. Lindsey plopped down next to Sara, "Want to see my new game?"

Sara mustered up all her strength and looked at Catherine, then at Lindsey. "Lindsey, I would love to see your new game. But," Sara looked at Catherine again. Catherine jumped in to the conversation, "Lindsey, honey, I think that Sara would like to lie down and rest right now. How about you show her your game later?"

"Okay," said Lindsey, somewhat dejectedly.

Warrick walked back into the room. "Warrick, umm…" Sara stopped. "Will you carry me to bed?"

"Of course." Warrick picked her up with ease and walked down the hall with her. She laid her head on his shoulder as he did. He laid her in the bed gently. Warrick removed Sara's shoes and socks and covered her up. Before leaving her to sleep, he rubbed her forehead and kissed her.

An hour or so later…

Lindsey peeked in nervously. Sara had just awaked. "Come in, Lindsey." Lindsey walked in slowly. "I didn't mean to upset you earlier, Lindsey."

"I know, Sara. It's okay."

"Would you like to show me now?"

"You mean it?"

"Of course," Sara said. She stood up slowly. Lindsey wrapped her arm around Sara's waist and the two walked into the living room where Warrick and Catherine were sitting. "Ahh…my sleeping beauty," Warrick said, causing Sara to smile.

"Are you hungry, Sara? I was thinking we could have a pasta salad for dinner. How does that sound?"

"Sounds fine to me. I am hungry."

The four of them enjoyed the meal together before Warrick had to leave for work.

After Warrick left Lindsey got out her new Playstation 2 game. It was Kingdom Hearts; Lindsey was already through the first world and was in Traverse Town. "You see Sara I'm this character, Sora, and he will join Donald and Goofy to defeat all the Disney villains and some Final Fantasy villains. It's sooo fun!" Sara just sat and smiled at Lindsey and her excitement. Asking questions here and there, then Lindsey surprised her when she told her that she saved a special box for Sara so she can play too. Sara was so shocked that tears sprang from her eyes.


	17. Epilogue

Several weeks later,

Sara was still staying with Catherine, but had returned to work part time at CSI. She had finally realized what it meant to be surrounded by friends and family who loved her. Even if she left this place someday, she would always carry it with her in her heart.

She and Grissom had gone for coffee and had started working through their issues. She and Greg, Nick and Warrick had reconnected over drinks. They reassured her that they would always be around to protect her no matter what.

But most importantly, she had developed a closer relationship with Catherine. And that in and of itself, had done more to restore her faith than any counseling she could receive.

AN: Thank you for reading. We apologize for the delay. Life got busy with the holidays and other things going on.


End file.
